"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٠‎٥‎٩] (١٧٨٢/١٢١٤)

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among 1 whom Muhammad Baig-, the most important, was suspected
of correspondence with the \\ ahhabis, marched again for Basrah
His way was barred at Thaj in Wadi-al-Miyah by Sa'ud, son of the
ahhabi Amir, and the armies remained halted opposite to each other
for three days, during- which neither ventured to attack the other in
foice. A truce for six years between the Wahhabis and the Pashaliq
was then arranged, in May 1799 j and, to obtain ratification of the same, a
Wahhabi envoy returned with the Kehiyah to Baghdad. Meanwhile Sa'ad
visited Hasa; rewarded the garrisons of Kut-al-Hofuf and Qasr Sahud ; and
punished those who had submitted to the Turks in the usual Wahhabi
manner, by wholesale confiscation of their property. Matters between
the Pasha and the Amir were eventually adjusted at Baghdad, but
not without some extraordinary displays of arrogance on the part of
the Wahhabi delegate.*
The chief result of this ill-managed expedition was to inspire
the Wahhabis with contempt for the Turkish troops, and in these
circumstances it is no matter for surprise that the truce was, after
the fust, but indifferently observed by the TV ah habis ; nor were
they entirely without excuse, for presently a Persian pilgrim
caravan, escorted by a Wahhabi guard, was attacked and olandered
between Hillah and Najaf by local Arabs whom it was the duty of the
Turks to restrain. Roving bands of plunderers now appeared again in the
vicinity of Basrah; and at length, in 1801 a crowning humiliation
at the hands of the Wahhabis overtook Sulaiman Pasha, which
shortened his days, c< spread a gloom over the Muhammadan world,
and elated to a high degree the character and confidence of the
sectaries
On the morning of the 18th of Zul Hijjeh, corresponding apparently Sack of
to Wednesday the ^Oth of April 1801, a Wahhabi host suddenly Karb a lab y
appeared before Karbala, which at the time was partially deserted in bis! 20th a *
consequence of a pilgrimage to Najaf,— a circumstance that doubtless April 180L
had not escaped the observation of the enemy. The strength of the
invaders on this occasion has been estimated by more than one authority
at not less than 6,000 camels, mostly carrying two men. After halting
and pitching a small camp in the gardens on the west side of the town,
and after detaching two bodies which took up positions to the north and
south, the Wahhabis proceeded to attack a gate opposite the Khaimahgah
* A ludiomis scene which occurred at the Wahhabi envoy's firit rseept^on hy the
Pasha is well described by Sir H. J. Brydges, who was an eye-witn^s; see hi®,
Wahauly, pages 23-27
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